ANP Productions | Source: ANP
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Groningen
The decision of the Senate not to discuss the bill on the permanent closure of the Groningen gas field for the time being creates new uncertainty for the residents of Groningen. This is reported by Gronings Perspectief, a research group from the University of Groningen and Nivel that has been studying the impact of the gas extraction problem on Groningen residents since 2016.
“The possible postponement of the bill will in any case not have a beneficial effect on residents,” says research leader Michel Dückers. “People want clarity and for the government to keep promises.”
In connection with the decision of the Senate on Tuesday, the research group published two reports that were actually supposed to be published on Thursday. Conclusions from the studies are that people who had damage to their home several times suffered increasingly poor health, and that residents have had less and less confidence in the government since 2021. The gas extraction problem also has a major impact on the familiar environment and social network of the elderly, the researchers concluded based on twenty in-depth interviews with that target group. For example, they have difficulty with the erosion of their social network and getting used to a temporary home.
Powerless
Moreover, the health of the entire Groningen research panel – consisting of 8,000 members, almost half of whom completed a questionnaire – deteriorated over the years, reports Gronings Perspectief. But the group that has been hit several times by earthquake damage often feels powerless, less hopeful and safe and is more afraid of getting into financial problems.
The decline in confidence in the government since 2021 plummets even further at the start of a house strengthening process, reports Gronings Perspectief. At the same time, according to the research group, confidence in the responsible authority, National Coordinator Groningen, does increase at the start of such an operation.
